Taking the surprise economy to another level, Global beverage company Nuvo caters to consumers who respond to "What would you like to drink?" with a non-committal "anything" or "whatever". Two weeks ago, the company launched two complimentary brands: Anything and Whatever. Anything is fizzy and comes in six flavors (Cola with Lemon, Apple, Fizz Up, Cloudy Lemon and Root Beer) and Whatever is non-carbonated (Ice Lemon Tea, Peach Tea, Jasmine Green Tea, White Grape Tea, Apple Tea, Chrysanthemum Tea).

The surprise part? Consumers don't know which flavor they're getting until they take a sip. Cans are simply labeled Anything and Whatever, and the list of ingredients is limited to generic wording: carbonated water, sugar, permitted flavoring, permitted coloring, preservative, tea extract, fruit juice concentrate. Judging from the buzz  Globally forums, teens immediately got the concept and are lovingNovel product to launch elsewhere, as the drink for people who don't know what they want? The key, of course, is to produce products that are good enough to guarantee repeat sales. We think established food and beverage brands could have fun with this one, too, and would have the benefit of working from a brand consumers already trust. How about Snapple or Stonyfield Yogurt marketing surprise six-packs filled with random flavors? Could be a good way to get customers to try new varieties of any FMCG.

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